Switch actuating mechanism



C. H. ELLIOTT ET AL SWITCH ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 9, 1929 |ma`\\1\\\\\w\ i vgy July 12, 1932.

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l SWITCH CTUTING MECHNISM A Filed Aug. 9. 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 mi"llulmllllllm Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED sf'lfa'ras PATENr OFFICE d. A

CHARLES H. ELLIOTT AND HAROLD K. ELLIOTT, F ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA SWITCH ACTUATING MECHANISM The `present invention relates to avswitch actuating mechanism, and more particularly to an actuating mechanism for a switch of the general type shown in Patent No. 1,596,-

007, of Harold K. Elliott, issued August 17th,

1926. f i L An object of thepresent. invention is to make a simple and positive electrically actuated control switch.y f f lo In order to attain this object, there is provided, in accordance with one feature of the invention, a switch having a plurality of spring contact members mounted on a base plate and having a contact plate mounted for vertical movement immediately above said contact points. An electrically releaseable spring controlled actuating mechanism is mounted above said plate, and is normally held in a locked position in upwardly spaced relation from said plate. Electrically actuated release means are mounted to release said locking mechanism to actuate said switch to depress said plate and to bring said plate into Contact with said spring contact members.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully brought out in the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: p

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a switch made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinalk sectional view through the device shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a View in elevation of the releasiniT mechanism.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a switch actuating circuit.

y Figure 5 is a view iny perspective of a lockif in element. y ,y f igure 6 is a View in perspective of a lockin release member.

iguref7 is a View in perspective of a yoke kwhich connects two of the switch operating elements.

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of a lever having a roller mounted therein.

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a lighting circuit in which the present device. is incorporated. l

Figure 10 is a view in perspective of a plate support member; and t Figure 11 is a view in side elevation of an operating handle witha portion of the center thereof broken away to increase the scale of the drawing.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a base 1 of insulative material, has securedk to the upper surface thereof, a plurality of spring contact members 2, said Contact members being preferably of spring leaf bronze. The upper ends thereof :curve outwardly to en-y gage contact plates 3 mounted on the lower surface of a slidable plate 4 of insulative material. An inclosure 5 is mounted on the upper surface of the base 1 and encloses the slidable plate 4, there being suiiicient clearance between the edges of the plate 4 and the inclosure to permit free slidable movement of the plate. A pair of U-shaped support mem- 70 bers 6 are mounted one at each end of the base 1 to project upwardly from the upper surface thereof, said members ybeing positioned within the enclosure 5. The slidable plate 4 is cut away as at 7 toreceive these 75 members. Between the U-shaped support members 6 and the base are mounted a pair of leaf springs 8 which are preferably of bronze. These springs exert an upward pressure on the slidable plate 4 to normally 8c hold it in raised position free of the contact members 2.

Mounted longitudinally of the device and supported by the yU-shaped support members 6 are a pair of frame support members 9 and Si 10 whichare connected to the U-shaped support members as b means of pins 11 and 12. Pivotally mounte upon a pin 13 positioned transversely between the two frame members 9 and 10 is an operating lever 14. A plate 9U retaining latch A is pivotedr independently of the handle 14 upon the same pin `13 which supports the handle. This plate retaining latch comprises a metal member having a pair of side portions 15 and ai trans- 96 verse portion 16 positioned to be engaged by the square lower edge portion 14a `of the handle 14 see Figure 2 when said handlel is moved to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 to trip the plate retaining latch and release the plate 4 for upward movement under the impulse of the springs 8.

Also mounted pivotally between the two members 9 and 10 are a pair of lever arms 17 and 18. One of these lever arms is shown in detail in Figure 8. Mounted in the lower end of each of said lever arms for free pivotal movement therein, are rollers 19 and 20 which are adapted to roll upon the upper surface of the slidable plate 4 to reduce friction in operating the device. A yoke 21, shown in detail in Figure 7, connects the upper end of the levers 17 and 18, said yoke being also pivotally connected to the'handle 14 by a pivot pin 145. Also pivotally connected to the handle 14 by the pin 145 is a link 22 which forms part of a toggle joint connecting the handle to the members 94 and 10.y A second link 23 is pivotally connected to the link 22 and also to the frame members 9 and 10 to complete the toggle joint. Then the operating handle is in the set position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the toggle joint formed by the links 22 and 23 is in a straight line which locks the operating handle 14 against rearward or clockwise movement as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2.

A coil spring 24 is connected to the handle 14 and to the supporting trame to normally urge said handle to the solid line position shown in Figure 2. A releasing lever 25, shown in detail in Figure 6, is pivotally mounted transversely of the frame members 9 and 10 and provided with an otset portion 26 therein located beneath the toggle joint composed of the links 22 and 23. The release lever 25 has a vertically positioned portion 27 with a loop 28 therein which is positioned over a rod 29 connected to the core 30 of a solenoid 31. rlhe rod 29 is provided with a head 32 which rests against the looped portion 28 of the releaselever. The normal positions of these parts are shown in solid lines in Figure 3 and the operated positions are shown in dotted lines in said iigure.

The operating circuit for the solenoid is shown in Figure 4. In this circuit a conductor 35 is connected to one side of a line bearing a suitable supply of electrical energy, said conductor being also connected to one side of the coil 3l of the solenoid. From the other side of the coil a conductor 36 is connected to a self-restoring switch 37 and from this switch a conductor 38 leads to the other side of the line.

The light circuit is controlled as shown schematically in Figure 9. The two sides ot a line are illustrated as 40 and 41. Three light circuits are shown in this diagram, but, since they are all substantially identical except or the number of lights therein, but one of these circuits will be described lin detail.

From one side of the line a conductor 42 is connected to one of the terminals 43 of the control switch comprising the present invention. From a second contact point of said switch a conductor 44 is connected to a plurality of lamps, or other electrical devices 45 in parallel. From the other side of these lamps or electrical devices a conductor 46 is connected to the other side of the line. Across the conductors 42 and 45 is connected a switch 47 by means of which the lamps or devices 45 may be controlled when the control switch is open. A third conductor 48 is also connected to a contact point 49 of the switch and is connected to other lamps or electrical devices 50. The other side of these lamps or electrical devices is connected to the conductor 46 and thus to the other side of the line. A switch 51 isalso connected across the circuit of these additional lamps or electrical devices to independently control them when t-he control switch is open. When the control switch is closed it will complete a circuit through the lamps or electrical devices 45 and 50 and operate themwhether or not the switches 47 and 51 are closed.

The operation of the device is as follows:

To set the device in the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 with the circuits open, the handle 14 is manually moved to the dotted line .position shown in Figure 2, which straightensthe toggle joint composed of the links 22 and 23 to a. locking position. As the handle 14 is moved` counterclockwise from the solid to the dotted line positionof Figure 2, the yoke 21 will move simultaneously therewith and will move the arms 17 and 18 and their rollers 19 and 2O to the dotted line positions of Figure 2. ,Some clearance is provided between the edge 14a of the handle and the transverse portion 16 ofthe plate latch so that the rollers 19 and 20 will be well clear of the plate 4 before the plate latch is tripped.

The handle 14 in its movement from the solid to the dotted line position of Figure 2, engages, with its square lower edge 14a, the transverse portion 16 of the latch A. Further movement of the handle toward the dotted line position of Figure 2 after engagement of the portion 16 by the edge 14a rotates the latch A counter-clockwise Ibringing the rounded lower corners of the sides 15 of the member A into engagement with the plate 4. After the member A has been rotated counterclockwise in this manner suiiiciently tov bring the portions of the sides 15 which are in engagement with the plate y4 to the right of the pivot 13, it will have passed beyonddead center and will release the plate 4. Upon thus being released the .springs 8 will suddenly force the plate 4 upward, separating the Contact plates 3 from the Contact Vsprings 2.

Upon closing the switch operating circuit through the solenoid 31, the core thereof vis drawn inward, drawing the release lever 25 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3, and, by means of theJ offset crank portion 26 thereof, raising the toggle joint, composed of the links 22 and 23, upwardly beyond a dead center position. The spring 24 then suddenly draws the lever arm 14 to the solid line position shown in Figure 2, moving the yoke 21 to the right and rotating the lever arm-s 17 and 18 clockwise to the solid line position shown in Figure 2. The rollers 19 and 20 during this operation force the sliding plate 4 downwardly to bring the contact plates 3 on the lower face thereof into engagement with the spring contact arms 2. This lowering of the plate 4 permits the pivotally mounted plate latch A to drop by gravity downwardly into the vertical or e latching position shown in solid lines in Figure 2 and straightens the toggle joint composed of the members 22 and 23 to its locking position. The device is intended primarily for use in buildings, where it is desired to provide a master control for illuminating all of the lights in a particular circuit, each of the lights being independently operable from individual switches when the contacts of the device embodying the present invention are open. This master switch may lbe operated from any of a number of points, either within or without the building, by placing .switches 37 at the points'where it is desired to control the operation of the switch.

After the master switch has been actuated by an operation of the solenoid it must be manually restored to the dotted line position of Figure 2 before individual control of the lights is again possible.

The switch 37 may also be incorporated in a burglar alarm mechanism so that upon operating the alarm the lights in the building will be illuminated simultaneously.

We claim:

1. A switch mechanism, comprising a base, a plurality of switch contacts mounted thereon, a slidably mounted plate having a plurality of contacts thereon to register with said switch contacts, a frame mounted above said plate,a pair of bell crank levers mounted on said frame to pivot thereon, a link connecting said bell crank levers, a roller mounted in an end of each of said bell crank levers to roll upon the upper surface of said plate, a handle lever mounted on said framek and connected to said link to operate said levers, a latch member pivotally connected to said bell crank lever and having a transverse portion to engage said lever on an operation thereof to remove said latch member from engagement with said plate, a spring connected to said operating handle to normally draw said operating handle to rotate said bell crank levers and depress said plate, a toggle joint connecting said lever to said frame, an eccentric member mounted beneath said toggle joint to tures.

said eccentric member, and electromagneticI means connected to said eccentric member toA rotate said eccentric member and break said toggle joint to release said handle lever for operation by energization of said electromagnetic means.

2. A switch mechanism comprising a base, a plurality of contact members mounted thereon, a movable plate of insulative material mounted above said contact members, a plurality of contact points mounted on said insulative plater to engage said contact members, a spring mounted to normally hold said insulative plate in a raised position clear of said contact members, a movable frame mounted above said plate, a handle lever connected to said movable frame to operate said frame land move said insulative plate into engagement with said contact members, a spring mounted to normally hold said lever in an operated position to depress said insulative plate, means mounted to lock said handle lever in an unoperated position to permit said insulative plat-e to be raised clear of said contact points by said spring acting on said insulative plate, and electrically actuated trigger means to release said locking means to permit said operating handle spring to draw said operating handle to an operated position upon energization of said electrically actuated trigger means.

In testimony whereof we aliX our signa- HAROLD K. ELLIOTT. CHARLES H. ELLIOTT. 

